I have a piece in The Humanist this month. I’d originally written this for an anthology on political humanism, which has since been cancelled. It’s titled “Why I’m Not a Socialist”.
When talking about economic systems at the level of capitalism versus socialism, we’re talking about balancing the power of competing interests. Failure means consolidating power in one set of interests. Currently in the US we’re seeing the failure mode of capitalism, as we did in the 1920s. I refuse to call it “late-stage capitalism” because the steps taken to hobble capitalism during and after the Great Depression demonstrate this is a matter of political power and will, not timing. But today’s United States is an extreme form of capitalism, in which capital is assigned virtues it hasn’t demonstrated, then granted nearly exclusive access to political power based on those virtues.
This is bad. I shouldn’t have to say that, but sometimes it’s worth stating the obvious.
That doesn’t mean socialism is better, however. When it’s running well, socialism is better than failing capitalism. Of course, capitalism running well is better than failing capitalism as well. Honest comparisons of the two ideologies involve contrasting them best to best and worst to worst.
Truth be told, the differences between them aren’t huge.
Stephanie Zvan is one of the hosts for the Minnesota Atheists' radio show and podcast, Atheists Talk. She serves on the board of Secular Woman. She speaks on science and skepticism in a number of venues, including science fiction and fantasy conventions.
Stephanie has been called a science blogger and a sex blogger, but if it means she has to choose just one thing to be or blog about, she's decided she's never going to grow up. In addition to science and sex and the science of sex, you'll find quite a bit of politics here, some economics, a regular short fiction feature, and the occasional bit of concentrated weird.
Oh, and arguments. She sometimes indulges in those as well. But I'm sure everything will be just fine. Nothing to worry about. Nothing at all.
Thank you for writing this article. It reminded me of my radical beliefs when I was in college and how the changed over the years. Some forms of Marxist Socialism now seem too similar to religious dogma.
So I would say that I believe in mixed economies and i hope the US finds the right balance soon.
If there is a “revolution” I hope it is for a system that isn’t rooted in the dogmas of the 20th century.
Thank you for writing this article. It reminded me of my radical beliefs when I was in college and how the changed over the years. Some forms of Marxist Socialism now seem too similar to religious dogma.
So I would say that I believe in mixed economies and i hope the US finds the right balance soon.
If there is a “revolution” I hope it is for a system that isn’t rooted in the dogmas of the 20th century.